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Aptos is a blockchain technology that operates at Layer 1 and utilizes the Move programming language, it aims to offer its users greater scalability, reliability, security, and usability compared to other blockchain projects.
Key Takeaways
Aptos is a decentralized platform built on top of the Ethereum blockchain that aims to provide a decentralized, autonomous, and transparent digital marketplace.
Aptos allows users to buy, sell and trade goods and services, as well as access a variety of financial services, including loans, credit and investment.
The platform uses smart contract technology to ensure that transactions are secure, fast and low-cost.
The platform’s native token, APT, acts as a means of exchange, as well as grants access to the platform’s features and services.
Aptos aims to provide a decentralized alternative to centralized e-commerce platforms, enabling users to have more control over their data and financial assets.
The blockchain’s origin or launch date was on October 12, 2022, and its mainnet “Aptos Autumn” was launched on October 17, 2022. It had raised millions of dollars from investors. APT is a Layer 1 blockchain constructed using a programming language called Move, based off of Rust. Its key characteristics include a parallel execution engine, advanced security features, and low transaction fees.
How does Aptos work?
The APT blockchain has the potential to process up to 160,000 transactions per second (TPS) while maintaining security and reliability. This high performance is possible through the use of several innovative concepts.
Block-STM Technology
The blockchain uses Block-STM technology to create an efficient engine for handling smart contracts. The engine employs parallel execution to process multiple transactions simultaneously, resulting in faster processing times. In case of a failed transaction, it doesn’t halt the whole chain, instead, transactions can process concurrently and all of them validate after execution. The network utilizes a collaborative scheduler to prioritize specific transactions on the APT blockchain. This improves the efficiency of essential validations. This allows for the processing of up to 160,000 transactions simultaneously.
Move Programming Language
APT is attractive due to its use of Move, a custom-built programming language. Originally developed for the Diem blockchain, Move is a bytecode language that offers flexibility to meet the specific needs of APT developers. Its global storage is more secure than other languages, allowing users to define custom resources that cannot be replicated or discarded. This makes it harder for malicious actors to control the APT blockchain.
BFT Consensus Protocol
APT utilizes a unique approach to consensus by separating the process of ordering transactions and executing them, allowing them to run simultaneously. This improves overall speed and reduces latency. The blockchain is protected by a Byzantine fault tolerant engine that continuously monitors individual states on the chain and updates validators as necessary, ensuring accurate and secure transactions.
Aptos vs. Solana
Aptos’ blockchain faces competition from Solana, which is currently a leading high-performance Layer 1 blockchain. Both APT and SOL have similar levels of speed as they both use parallel execution engines. However, when comparing the two, Aptos appears to be more reliable as Solana has had past issues with outages and downgrades.
The blockchain incorporates a redundant network structure, making it less susceptible to failure. The blocks in the APT blockchain synchronize with leader nodes and nearby nodes, allowing for a seamless transition in case the leader node fails. This added level of redundancy comes with slightly higher computational requirements, resulting in slightly higher hardware needs compared to Solana. However, the added reliability provided by APT outweighs the increased hardware requirements.
Aptos vs. Ethereum
The Aptos blockchain aims to be faster than Ethereum, with a much shorter time to finality. This is achieved through a combination of hardware and software optimizations, including the use of multiple CPU cores. Specifically, APT operates on 16 cores, compared to just one on ETH, allowing it to finalize transactions in less than a second, as opposed to over a minute on Ethereum.
APT has demonstrated faster transaction speeds compared to Ethereum. However, Ethereum’s stability and reliability are superior to Aptos. Despite its occasional outages, Ethereum’s performance is less susceptible to disruption. As a result, Ethereum is still the preferred choice for many users, even though it may come with higher fees and longer transaction times.
Aptos Development
The APT project is led by Aptos Labs, a team of diverse developers, engineers and strategists headed by co-founders Mo Shaikh and Avery Ching. Shaikh and Ching previously worked together on the Diem blockchain project at Meta. Shaikh has expertise in scaling products and has a background in private equity and venture capital. Ching is a seasoned software engineer and has a history of leading successful development projects. After Meta’s decision to end the Diem project, Shaikh and Ching teamed up to form Aptos Labs.
The team at Aptos Labs, led by co-founders Mo Shaikh and Avery Ching, commits to creating a highly secure and reliable Layer 1 blockchain for everyone. With a motto of “Building a Layer 1 for everyone,” the company has already gained significant support, raising over $350 million in funding during two financing rounds, launching its developer testnet, and successfully processing millions of transactions across thousands of nodes.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about APT.
Who are the founders of APT?
The Aptos project was created by Mo Shaikh, the current CEO of Aptos Labs, and Avery Ching, its CTO. Both individuals previously worked together on the Diem blockchain project at Meta. Mo has extensive experience in scaling products and has a background in the private equity and venture capital markets. Avery, who is a software engineer, was a principal software engineer at Meta. When Meta discontinued the Diem project in January 2022, Mo and Avery decided to team up and establish Aptos Labs. As a result, APT incorporates elements of the Diem project in its design.
Ching is the CTO of Aptos Foundation. He is a software engineer and was one of the principal software engineers at Meta.
Mo Shaikh and Avery Ching, both former employees of Meta, joined forces to create Aptos Labs after working together on the Diem blockchain project at Meta. The Diem project stopped in January 2022. It is not surprising that APT uses some of the technical elements of Diem.
How does APT secure itself?
The Aptos team boasts that its blockchain network is able to handle a high volume of transactions per second (tps). It has a claimed capacity of over 150,000 tps. This significant increase in transaction processing capability is achieved through the use of a parallel execution engine known as Block-STM. This is a Byzantine fault-tolerant (BFT) proof-of-stake consensus mechanism.
Unlike other blockchains that execute transactions in a sequential manner, Aptos’ parallel execution engine allows for the network to continue processing transactions even in the event of a failed transaction or high demand. This results in a more efficient and reliable network.
What makes Aptos Crypto unique?
The Aptos network employs two consensus protocols, Proof-of-Stake and AptosBFT, to ensure the safety and reliability of its network. AptosBFT, which is similar to the DiemBFT algorithm developed for the Diem project, is a Byzantine Fault-Tolerant consensus mechanism. This means that the network can continue to operate normally even if some members go offline or become malicious. The AptosBFT algorithm is based on the HotStuff protocol and uses on-chain state analysis to automatically update leader rotations. It also adjusts for non-responsive validators without human intervention.
Where do I buy Aptos?
Buying Aptos is easy via the exchanges that support it. The coins circulating supply and market cap (market capitalization) makes up the Aptos price. Aptos today sits among the well known blockchains taking on Ethereum. The Aptos ecosystem keeps growing and last year, Aptos raised over 10 Million on a private seed round.